Pierce County deputies now wearing body cameras. Here’s when they’ll be activated
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department has issued body cameras to nearly all of its patrol deputies and installed dashboard cameras on all patrol cars as the department finalizes implementation of the technology.
Sheriff’s officials planned to be using the cameras by this summer, but negotiations between the department and the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Independent Guild pushed back their use. The groups had reached a tentative agreement on policy but hadn’t agreed on whether or how much deputies should be paid because of the addition of the cameras.
The two groups have since reached an agreement on that decision and have a 12-page policy on the use of the cameras, sheriff’s department spokesperson Sgt. Darren Moss said. He said deputies have been sent the policy and are taught it as part of a five-hour training course they undergo before being issued body cameras.
Moss couldn’t speak to the details of the agreement over pay. The News Tribune wasn’t able to reach a guild representative for comment.
In January, the County Council allocated $1.75 million for the cameras. In July and August, Axon delivered 351 body cameras and 242 vehicle dashboard cameras to the department. That includes 11 spare body cameras and seven spare dashboard camera kits.
The sheriff’s department said in a Facebook post the use of the cameras is meant to promote transparency in law enforcement. The policy outlined the following situations where the dashboard camera or body camera should be activated:
Law Enforcement and investigative contacts including domestic violence calls, custodial arrests, uses of force, in progress crimes, suspect contacts, mental health or suicidal person, searches that are done with consent or exigency, and field interview situations. It is not intended that the [body-worn camera] be activated during the investigation of routine property crimes which are not in progress.
Traffic stops, including, but not limited to, traffic violations, stranded motorist assistance, vehicle or foot pursuits and all investigatory stops.
Self-initiated activity in which a member would normally notify South Sound 911
Any in-person contact that becomes adversarial after the initial contact in a situation that would not otherwise require recording, as soon as feasible.
According to the policy document, the policy is not meant to describe every possible situation where the cameras should be used. Once deputies start recording, the policy requires them to continue until the incident has concluded.
Training began in the last week of November. Moss said he expects everyone to have been trained by mid-January. Detectives are the next group to receive training. He said the department prioritized training patrol deputies first because they in public daily.
All sworn deputies will be required to wear body cameras, including the chiefs and sheriff. Dashboard cameras are installed on all patrol cars but will not be in department vehicles driven by detectives.
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 11:34 AM.
